The Detroit Red Wings emerged as riverboat gamblers Tuesday, willing to take a chance on Todd Bertuzzi, who has been out almost all season with a bad back.

Bertuzzi, a classic power forward, will give the Red Wings some of the grit and sandpaper believed to be missing for the team. He was obtained for a pair of conditional picks. Detroit will send a conditional pick – either a first-, second- or third-round selection – in this year’s draft and a conditional second-round pick in next year’s draft to obtain the services of Bertuzzi, who is just a year removed from being one of the most coveted players in the League.

The picks are conditionally tied to the performance of the Red Wings in the playoffs, as well as Bertuzzi’s playing availability in the postseason.

The 32-year-old Bertuzzi was the centerpiece of this summer’s blockbuster deal that sent franchise goalie Roberto Luongo to Vancouver in exchange for Bertuzzi, Alex Auld and Bryan Allen.

But Bertuzzi ran into back troubles in late October, eventually undergoing surgery for a herniated disk on Nov. 2. Bertuzzi had seven points in seven games before getting injured.

Bertuzzi is back to skating and says he is ready to return to the NHL grind, but has not been going 100 percent for the Panthers in practice before Tuesday’s trade. Yet he must have shown enough in his comeback to convince Detroit GM Ken Holland to roll the dice to keep up with all the aggressive teams in the Western Conference.

Bertuzzi, when healthy, is among the most difficult forwards for opposing defensemen to deal with down low. He has 224 goals and 536 points in 717 NHL games and is just three seasons removed from his benchmark 46-goal season with Vancouver.

The addition of Bertuzzi helps further remake Detroit’s attack, which was impacted by Monday night’s acquisition of third-line forward Kyle Calder from Chicago. Most likely, Bertuzzi will play the right side on Detroit’s second line, joining Robert Lang and Mikael Samuelsson.

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Quote:

Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right....

February 27th, 2007, 5:01 pm

wjb21ndtown

Our farm systems are stocked pretty heavily with great prospects from years of good drafting... I don't mind giving up a pick and even draft picks for Bertuzzi... If he can get back to 1/2 of what he was he will add instant toughness, grit, and scoring to our squad...

I just don't see the Wings competing in the playoffs with the Sharks, Ducks, Predators, Sabres.

They are 3 or 4 Bertuzzi type players away from really contending IMO.

Not to mention that he is an unknown commodity since the injury. I can very easily see this becoming Uwe Krupp version 2.0.

I just think it was a waste of picks for something that is not, nor was going to be, the difference maker.

_________________Restore the Meow.

February 28th, 2007, 10:58 am

wjb21ndtown

tjkac wrote:

I don't care for the move.

I just don't see the Wings competing in the playoffs with the Sharks, Ducks, Predators, Sabres.

They are 3 or 4 Bertuzzi type players away from really contending IMO.

Not to mention that he is an unknown commodity since the injury. I can very easily see this becoming Uwe Krupp version 2.0.

I just think it was a waste of picks for something that is not, nor was going to be, the difference maker.

NHL draft picks are more like MLB draft picks in that they don't typically materialize for 3-5 years, if ever... IMO we gave up little if anything for Bertuzzi, and if he can't play, he can't play... But if he can, we're definitely in the thick of things...

What happened whith Jason Williams? I missed something somewhere... apparently he was traded for some guy on Chicago (whom already scored on Chicago in a Red Wings uni), but I don't know the details...???

February 28th, 2007, 12:10 pm

TheRealWags

Modmin Dude

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12488

wjb21ndtown wrote:

tjkac wrote:

I don't care for the move.

I just don't see the Wings competing in the playoffs with the Sharks, Ducks, Predators, Sabres.

They are 3 or 4 Bertuzzi type players away from really contending IMO.

Not to mention that he is an unknown commodity since the injury. I can very easily see this becoming Uwe Krupp version 2.0.

I just think it was a waste of picks for something that is not, nor was going to be, the difference maker.

NHL draft picks are more like MLB draft picks in that they don't typically materialize for 3-5 years, if ever... IMO we gave up little if anything for Bertuzzi, and if he can't play, he can't play... But if he can, we're definitely in the thick of things...

What happened whith Jason Williams? I missed something somewhere... apparently he was traded for some guy on Chicago (whom already scored on Chicago in a Red Wings uni), but I don't know the details...???

Williams was traded for Kyle Calder Monday night.

_________________

Quote:

Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right....

February 28th, 2007, 12:14 pm

wjb21ndtown

TheRealWags wrote:

wjb21ndtown wrote:

tjkac wrote:

I don't care for the move.

I just don't see the Wings competing in the playoffs with the Sharks, Ducks, Predators, Sabres.

They are 3 or 4 Bertuzzi type players away from really contending IMO.

Not to mention that he is an unknown commodity since the injury. I can very easily see this becoming Uwe Krupp version 2.0.

I just think it was a waste of picks for something that is not, nor was going to be, the difference maker.

NHL draft picks are more like MLB draft picks in that they don't typically materialize for 3-5 years, if ever... IMO we gave up little if anything for Bertuzzi, and if he can't play, he can't play... But if he can, we're definitely in the thick of things...

What happened whith Jason Williams? I missed something somewhere... apparently he was traded for some guy on Chicago (whom already scored on Chicago in a Red Wings uni), but I don't know the details...???

Williams was traded for Kyle Calder Monday night.

Just an even swap?...

And.. what's anyone think about that deal?

Personally I'm not too happy about losing Williams, dood was great in shootouts...

February 28th, 2007, 1:54 pm

TheRealWags

Modmin Dude

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12488

Williams sucked IMO. I'm glad to see him go. He was given plenty of opportunity and never seemed to catch on. I remember him taking a big hit earlier this year and it seems like he was afraid to mix it up since then. Who knows, maybe he's a bit gun shy now. I hope he does well in Chicago. Maybe a fresh start will be good for him.

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Quote:

Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right....

February 28th, 2007, 2:06 pm

conversion02

RIP Killer

Joined: January 26th, 2005, 9:34 pmPosts: 10773Location: Sycamore, IL

The Williams for Calder trade was awesome, but I don't like the Bertuzzi trade. The guy shouldn't even be playing hockey right now (oh wait, he isn't and hasn't for the past 6 months). I hope he fails his physical so we don't get screwed when he hurts himself again.

The Wings had to get bigger and tougher up front to be successful in the playoffs, and I think they did that. While I don't like Bertuzzi as a person or for his style of play, he's exactly what they needed. Keep in mind that I had similar feelings about Chelios before he was traded to Detroit several years ago. Personally, I would have preferred Tkachuk or Guerin, but the Blues simply wanted way too much for them. In the end, the Red Wings got Bertuzzi relatively cheaply, so I really can't complain.

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March 1st, 2007, 12:32 am

Lions_Someday

Peewee Leaguer

Joined: February 10th, 2007, 4:02 amPosts: 42

i think Todd will be huge for us in the playoffs

March 13th, 2007, 3:27 am

walkman67

Pop Warner Vet

Joined: March 4th, 2007, 5:01 pmPosts: 121Location: outside the dome

What was worse? The sucker punch or the stick acrossed the throat from Simon?

March 14th, 2007, 11:29 pm

conversion02

RIP Killer

Joined: January 26th, 2005, 9:34 pmPosts: 10773Location: Sycamore, IL

Tough call...still say the sucker punch

______________________Fire everyone; clean house!

March 15th, 2007, 9:15 am

TheRealWags

Modmin Dude

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12488

They were both really bad but IMO the 2 handed chop to the throat was worse. It looked like he wanted to take that guys head off.